Champion Australian racehorse So You Think will run in the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot
Last night Star Witness kicked off the Australian assault at Royal Ascot and tonight So You Think will be looking to go one better when he flies the flag in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales Stakes.
The race will jump at around 12:45am Australian time but will certainly be worth staying up late for as So You Think faces his biggest test to date since making the move to Europe.
He’s trounced the field in both of his races so far but there’s no doubt the quality of opposition is a lot better this time around.
A big win in the race would surely silence most of his critics and given his current position on the International Thoroughbred Rankings it could well and truly see him elevated to the best rated middle distance horse in the world.
He’s a clear odds on favourite to win the Prince Of Wales Stakes and looking back over his career it’s not hard to see why.
So You Think has run in 14 events so far during his career and recorded 10 wins in the process.
Just once has he missed a placing and one of his minor results was a respectable third in the 2010 Melbourne Cup.
Steven Arnold rode Star Witness to second last night and he’s also won aboard So You Think back in Australia.
He says he’s just as excited as anyone about seeing how he goes against the best Europe can throw at him.
“It can be hard for us to line up how good they are when they’re just racing in our own country, and I could be a bit biased because I was close to him, but I’ll be really interested to see how he shapes up in the better races,” Arnold said.
“He’s the best horse I’ve ridden. In one way it’s a shame to lose him, but in another it’s good for racing because he’s a special horse and it would be great if he could go on to a race like the Arc.”
A small field see’s just six rivals facing off against So You Think but it’s worth noting that five of them have already won at Group 1 level.
So You Think enjoyed plenty of success as a mile runner in Australia but Arnold says there are no issues at all with the 2000m trip in the Prince Of Wales Stakes.
The only time he’s gone further was in the 2010 Melbourne Cup and the fact he finished third was due to a hectic racing schedule and two fresher horses much more than his inability to see out the journey.
“I think it probably took its toll on him a little bit that he won the Cox and the Mackinnon seven days later and had only three days before the Melbourne Cup. He was a really late foal too, so he’s still quite a young horse,” Arnold said.
“When he won his first Cox Plate he was technically a two year old and I wouldn’t be surprised if he can improve on what he did here.”
So You Think now runs for Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien and will be ridden by top local jockey Ryan Moore.
